Absolution
by FlareX3
Summary: A planet under seige. Throw in some unstable warriors, Space Wolves, Dark Angels, killing. Add in the Fallen and Inquisition with a few confused guardsmen and you have chaos.
1. Chapter 1

Absolution

Disclaimer: Note that Dark Angels, Ordo Malleus, Space Wolves, Imperial Guard, and all things Warhammer 40k related belong to Gamesworkshop and not me so yeah.

Screams filled the air, which was thick with the bitter smoke of gunfire and the metallic taste of blood. Commander Hido of the Space Wolves Chapter let loose another punishing salvo of bolter fire, keeping the trigger depressed until the weapon registered empty. Dozens of cultists lay dead, their bodies and limbs blown apart by the explosive bolts. With cool, almost mechanical precision, he ejected the spent clip from his storm bolter before quickly replacing it with a fresh one. Guardsmen were milling about as well as were his Marines. The cultists had launched a counter strike on their left flank when they were crossing an intersection on the street. They had burst through doors, windows, even man holes. They died in droves but their numbers could not be denied and the Imperial advance was delayed. Hido smiled grimly as he dispatched a cultist with a shot to the head, watching the headless body topple back into the mass of swarming cultists. This damn city wasn't worth the lives that were spent taking it back. Thousands of guardsmen and several squads of his Marines had been lost, including a veteran assault squad. But it didn't matter in the end, the Imperials will retake the city and the taint of Chaos would be purged. Already several other Imperial forces were closing in on opposite sides of the city towards the governmental district where the last bodies of resistance had gathered. Allowing himself a humorless smile, revealing razor sharp canines, Hido watched his Marines and the guardsmen dispatch the cultists with practiced precision. Letting loose an animalistic howl he was greeted by the roar of bolter fire. He saw a guardsmen several meters ahead pitch back, two gaping holes in his chest. Several plasma blasts ripped through one of his remaining Devastator squads moments later. The guardsmen began to mill about in confusion, something up ahead had stopped the assault, and as impossible as it seemed, was repelling it. He soon found out why. Gibbering, slavering monstrosities were pouring through the north street, inspiring terror by just their mere presence. Demons… a lot of demons. The guard officers did their best to rally their men, some even able to get a few sporadic bursts of lasfire against the demons before being overrun and ripped to shreds. His Marines were holding out, accurate bolter fire along with the remaining heavy weapons were keeping most of the demons at bay. But where had the initial attack come from? Demons were definitely not known for using Imperial tech. He received a bolter shell to the chest as his answer. The force of the blow cracked the Imperial eagle upon his breastplate but did little more. Silently thanking his armor's battle spirit he searched for his foe and found him. Though his initial color had been black, the figure before him was stained a brilliant crimson, blood of his previous victims. He wielded a mace surrounded in a crackling energy field as well as an ancient looking bolt pistol. Hido felt his blood boil at the sight of him, a traitor Marine, the worse kind of foe. From the corner of his eye he saw an Assault squad desperately fighting another traitor Marine, who weaved through their blows and decapitated them with graceful strokes of his sword. Hido put them from his mind, confident they would hold. Letting loose another howl he ran at his enemy, firing his storm bolter into his foe as well. His foe charged him, silent even as the bolts struck his armor and were either deflected or their damaged absorbed. Hido raised his power sword, swinging horizontally in the hopes of disemboweling his foe. His dark adversary deflected the blow with his mace before hammering the pistol at Hido's skull. Lights flashed before Hido's eyes and he faintly felt blood trickle down his forehead before he was launched from his feet by a devastating blow to the chest. Hido found himself on his back, blood flecking his lips. His rib cage was shattered and he could feel his life spilling from him to soak the already bloody asphalt. He could hear the demons and Imperial forces desperate battle rage around him, his Marines the last strong point of the Imperial advance. Suddenly his foe stood above him, studying him carefully.

"You are from the Space Wolves Chapter yes?" his enemy's voice was harsh, as if he wasn't used to using it. Hido did not give him the pleasure of a response. His enemy merely raised the mace above his head before sending it crashing down upon Hido's skull, granting him darkness, granting him rest.

Garbled transmissions were received by Space Marine and Imperial Guard command centers. Through the screams and ever present roar of gunfire the officers knew this: The Imperial push into the governmental district had been stopped. Demons and a few sketchy reports of traitor Marines were picked up as well. Casualties were as of yet unknown but obviously high. All Imperial forces were on the retreat and were being cut down in bloody melee as they were ambushed through the city's dark and twisting streets. In desperation the commanding Imperial officer radioed for help with little hope of receiving any. The worst and best answered his call. Ordo Malleus, the Grey Knights, adept in killing the dread forces of Chaos was the first to receive the signal. An Inquistion ship was in range of the transmission and immediately changed course to answer the call. This of course is the best. The worst: The Dark Angels strike cruiser; "Holy Retribution" was also in range of the transmission. The striker cruiser was deployed to investigate possible Fallen activity in the area and the possibility of traitor Marines was more than enough to make them change course for the doomed Imperial battle. If the Fallen were there, the Dark Angels will make sure no one will ever find their secret, even if it means no one would be coming back alive.


	2. Chapter 2

Lord General Kasgul, leading officer of the Imperial Guard forces still on the world, couldn't believe his ears.

"Repeat," he called back to his vox officer.

"Sir, we're being hailed by an Inquisitorial ship."

"P-put them on screen." In the command center the Imperial forces had set up within an abandoned medicae building a screen flickered into life. Hastily set up the transmission was blurry but even through the static Kasgul could clearly see a gleaming silver skull, a symbol of high ranking within the Inquisition, pinned upon the chest of the man before him. The man was clad in black power armor, litanies and verses of many Imperial texts inscripted onto nearly every visible part. There was even a scroll covered in holy symbols and blessing pinned upon his right shoulder. Even without all this the man's cold glare and ominous presence was enough to unsettle any before him.

"Lord General," the man said in greeting, giving Kasgul a barely visible nod in recognition. Kasgul snapped out of the awe emplaced upon him by the imposing Inquisitor.

"Inquisitor," he said with a brisk salute, "I am greatly indebted to your timely arrival. My men are hard pushed, even the legendary Astartes are being overrun and we could greatly use any assistance you can offer us." A small smile crept onto the Inquisitor's face and Kasgul had to use all his will to keep from shivering.

"Don't worry general, the Inquisition has arrived."

The ship, _Saving Grace_, was already in steady orbit around the planet. Inquisitor Sylinn gazed out of a viewing port on the bridge, even from this distance he could see the planet was dying. Fierce battles and the ever-present taint of Chaos, the world had already begun a steady descent into decay. The planet's name was Destroth IV, an industrial world known for the amount of munitions and tanks it exports as well as the amount of raw resources it converts into useable material. Sylinn didn't know how far the battle here had progressed, his ship had received the distress call in mid-flight, returning from a successful campaign against a world gone mad with warp disease. Several guard regiments led by his personal warriors broke the final defenses of the enemy before killing the culprit, a powerful champion of the Death Guard. The battle had been costly, his personal warriors were now below half strength but it didn't matter. The Ordo Malleus will answer the call wherever the taint of demons remain. Through the monotonous buzz of the working servitors and crew he could hear heavy footsteps behind him.

"Inquisitor," came a voice. Even though it was partly distorted by the vox in his helmet Sylinn knew it was Nhirix, an experience veteran, a Grey Knight. Sylinn turned around and came face to face with a giant. Standing a full head and shoulders above him Nhirix looked down upon the Inquisitor his metal grey armor reflecting the meager light cast by the glow lamps. Like Sylinn his armor was completely covered in sacred texts, the storm bolter fixated on his right arm had holy symbols etched all over it and every bullet Nhirix used was blessed. Nhirix was the embodiment of purity, an incorruptible symbol of humanity in its greatest form and yet he bowed to Sylinn's authority.

"Nhirix," Sylinn said simply, not at all daunted by the giant before him.

"Sir, the transports are ready. All we await for is your order to board and launch." Sylinn nodded.

"Good. Very well, let's begin." The two men had begun to make their way off the bridge when a warning klaxon went off. A crewmen from across the room called out,

"Approaching vessel. Origins unknown."

"Do we have a visual?" A moment of silence and then the main screen came on. Upon the screen was the endless void of space and a small insignificant dot on the screen steadily growing in size.

"Sir, we're being hailed, it's Imperial."

"Put it on screen." The blackness that is space disappeared from view to be replaced by a skull, red eyes glowing from bleached white eye sockets. It was a Space Marine Chaplain, protectors of Imperial faith as well as fearsome warriors. Its black power armor did not betray its origins and only the dark green shoulder pads and familiar winged blade symbol upon the right shoulder pad gave any indication of its chapter.

"Greetings Inquisitor from the _Holy Retribution_. I am Chaplain Gabriel of the Dark Angels chapter and we come to render aid." The Chaplain's voice was emotionless and whether it was effects from the vox or that it was his normal voice Sylinn did not know though he favored the later.

"Greetings Chaplain, your generosity is appreciated. How many battle-brothers are you contributing to our cause?"

"Fifty," came the crisp reply. Sylinn knew that a single Space Marine was a superb soldier, superior to a normal man in every respect, but considering the case on Destroth IV he wondered if it would even effect the outcome. As if sensing the Inquisitor's thoughts the Chaplain added,

"It will be enough. You will not find my men lacking on the field of battle."

"I was not doubting the capability of your men," Sylinn lied. Sylinn could clearly see the ship now, a Strike Cruiser, painted dark green with a giant symbol of a winged blade upon the front hull. "I will look for you on the field of battle," Sylinn stated. Gabriel did not reply and the screen went blank. _Dark Angels, _Sylinn thought to himself, _how bad can this situation possibly get?_ On the _Holy Retribution_ Chaplain Gabriel cursed.


	3. Chapter 3

For those who don't understand the term leapfrogging it simply means that someone will cover as the other moves to take the position. Its quite useful in paintball and war.

Inquisitor Sylinn looked around with Nhirix standing silently at his side as Kasgul and a vox officer whom Sylinn did not know stood before him, waiting for him to speak. Most of his troops were already prepared for battle and the few transports remaining mostly contained armor and medical supplies. He had several full platoons of Imperial Guard and two squads of Grey Knights still under his command, as well as a small ammount of support armor consisting of several Leman Russ battle tanks and a squad of Sentinels. It was a meager force compared to the original vastness of the Imperial forces already there but well trained and a welcome addition to the war effort despite the look on Kasgul's face which he did the best to hide.

"Don't worry Lord General, it's a small force but more than capable."

"Of course Inquisitor, I do not doubt you or your men's abilities." Sylinn nodded before transfering his gaze to the city several hundred meters away. Fires were blazing all throughout the length and breadth of the city, the sound of gunfire and the stench of blood and smoke reaching them even here. Sylinn suddenly found himself thankful of the Dark Angels timely appearance, except for the fact they were nowhere to be seen.

"The Dark Angels seem to be taking their time on preparation, unfortunately time is imperative," Nhirix said suddenly as if reading Sylinn's thoughts. From the corner of his eye he saw Kasgul's jaw drop before he caught himself and regained his composure.

"Bless the Throne, the Emperor answers our prayers!" Kasgul cried out. Sylinn was about to remark when, as if on cue, a dark green Thunderhawk zoomed over their heads. Kasgul yelled an obscenity that was thankfully drowned out by the roar of the engines. But something was wrong, the Thunderhawk didn't slow down. Sylinn followed it and realized it was heading straight for the city. _At least they're making up for the time already lost_, Sylinn thought to himself as the Thunderhawk altitude decreased, its rear hatch opening up and five Marines mounted on jet black bikes flew out, engines roaring and wheels turning even before they hit the ground. They disappeared from view as they fell behind the city's walls and Sylinn watched, with growing interest, the events unfold. Drop pods were falling swiftly into the city before quickly disappearing from view behind city's many buildings.

"Lord General… can you tell me where those pods have landed?"

"That's the governmental district," he replied, swallowing hard, "that's where the Imperial push failed." Sylinn smiled, and even then the darkness around him did not lift, only deepen. Without another word to Kasgul he walked off towards his men, he wasn't about to let the Dark Angels show them up.

Guardsmen Jonathan Greene let out a curse as he dropped his scalding hot lasgun to the ground. Jonathan quickly took stock of the situation, he had only two power cells left, his lasgun is overheated, he had a splitting headache, and the enemy still outnumbered them three to one, so in other words, they're screwed. He glanced around at the remaining Guardsmen and realized that there was only about thirty of them left alive. _Thrity out of who knows how many else_, Jonathan thought looking at the dead that littered the road they were fighting on. Tall buildings reared up darkly into the smoke filled sky, grim on lookers at the evils unfolding below. The fire teams stationed there were hardly in a better condition than the one's below concerning ammunition but it didn't matter, they would all die in the end. A lasbolt hit the man beside him, punching through his throat and muffling his scream into a pathetic gurgle. Jonathan Greene reached for his autopistol side arm, feeling completely naked without the solid weight of his beloved lasgun in his arms. A cultist flew at him, the man's teeth were bared in an animalistic snarl and spit dribbled from his chin. Jonathan's autopistol shot blew apart the cultist's forehead and sent him to hell. He emptied the rest of his clip into the oncoming horde watching several cultists drop with satisfaction but watching the same number of demons fall and rise up again as if unscathed. He watched as his sergeant was ripped apart by a demon, his blood cascading onto the faces of the horrified men behind him. Joseph Abella, a man he grew up with and one of his closest friends, charged the enemy with nothing more than a combat knife and a load of guts. He was gunned down before he even reached them. The chamber in the autopistol clicked empty. Jonathan knew his time had come but he would make the cost of his life a dear price indeed. Reaching for his combat knife he prepared to meet them head on. And then a miracle happened.

Chaplain Gabriel felt the shock of impact even through the reinforced plating of the drop pod and impact dampeners. Still he was the first to his feet and the first out into the storm of death that awaited them, lasbolts and bullets speeding past his head. The impact of the drop pod had killed or scattered all the enemy forces within the immediate vicinity though they were already regrouping for a reknewed assault. Raising his Crozius Arcanum high into the air, feeling the energy field course through the weapon, he cried,

"Give no quarter brothers! For the Emperor and the honor of our Chapter!" Charging madly into the oncoming mob followed closely by a squad of marines wielding bolt pistols and chainswords. They crashed into the enemy like a tornado, sending foes sprawling back from the fereocity of their attack. Gabriel swung his weapon horizontally beheading several cultists before reducing the face of a demon with a blast from his plasma pistol. He felt shots slam into his armor but he did not worry, his armor was virtually immune to such small arms fire. A blade sang for his throat and he batted it aside as if it were little more than a bothersome gnat before hammering his elbow into the throat of the cultist responsible. The man fell back clutching his ruined throat, specks of blood flecking his lips. A demon reached for him, vicious claws radiating dark promise, only to have its arms hacked off and its chest caved in by a devastating kick. Brother Lucas was dragged down by cultists who were screaming horrible blasphemies while stabbing and shooting with their vile weapons. Several pitched back, gaping holes blown into their bodies by bolt pistol shots.Another was skewered on Lucas's chainsword before being thrown into the relentless attackers. Lucas dispatched the remaining two with savage blows to their chests, caving in their rib cage and destroying their heart. A spray of lasfire and auto weapon shots slammed into the foe, the Guardsmen cheering the Astartes on to further feats of savagery and courage while their remaining officers fought to instill the same bravery within their own ranks. Gabriel watched Brother Hekiah die, a demon leaping onto him before punching a second set of jaws into his face plate. Gabriel grabbed the demon by its supposed shoulders, head butting it in the face before he kneed it and slammed it onto the asphalt. He burned it with hot plasma from his pistol insuring that it would never rise again. The cultists faltered, facing desperate and fearful Guardsmen was an entirely different story than facing the fierce determination and savagery of the Adeptus Astartes. One broke and ran, followed by another and another until the remaining cultists were fleeing down the street blocking their fearless demon allies who cut them down to reach their targets. Gabriel was quick to take advantage of this turn of events. He ordered his squad to fire into the mass, keeping them at bay as best they could with bolt pistols, while he ordered Brother Forrax to perform his alleged duty. Forrax broke away from the fighting, speaking to some unknown entity, most presumably the crew of the _Holy Retribution_. Forrax was the key to the assault here, he carried a homing beacon. There was a brilliant flash and where once was nothing stood ten hulking monstrosities. The bones of the dead was their armor, their eyes alight with the fires of hell, angels of death, bringers of sorrow, Deathwing. As one they opened up, bolter fire tearing through flesh with ease, punching fist sized holes into everything they hit.

"For the Emperor!" yelled their sergeant, his Terminator armor covered in battle honors and his gleaming power sword raised in the air, leading his men into battle. Behind them the Guardsmen echoed their cry charging into the fray with new courage and hope. The Terminators collided with the enemy with such force that the previous assault paled in comparison. Bodies were flung into the air, their bodies horribly mangled by blows from powerfists. Guardsmen fired point blank into the enemy ranks and stabbed vicously with their bayonets and combat knvies. In minutes the battle ended, the remaining demons were dead with the cultists fleeing back into their wretched holes leaving the road soaked in blood.

With the aid of the Dark Angels the beleaguered Imperial forces were able to rout their enemy, sending their foes back into hiding. At last able to regroup and fall back the survivors of the failed offensive retreated towards their base, abandoning strong points and any supplies they couldn't take with them. Despite heavy losses morale was relatively high, with the appearance of the Dark Angels and Ordo Malleus how couldn't it be? Despite their victory the city was still held by the enemy which meant that one of the Emperor's sacred planet's were being defiled. The victory was a reprieve, nothing more.

Sylinn quietly surveyed the gathered men. They were in the medicae building/HQ of the Imperial forces, inside a room that what must have been an office. Sylinn had requested that Kasgul gather the remaining officers of the Impeial assault for a tactical discussion, in truth Sylinn only wished to know two things, how many men were left and how capable were the officers leading them. Two hulking giants filled the room, representing the Space Marines and the same number of normal men represented the other regiments. Kasgul stood to the side and Nhirix stood behind Sylinn, none of them bothered to sit. Sylinn's gaze fell upon one of the Space Marines, his light grey armor was freshly scarred in more than a dozen places, some where still smoking. His face was feral and his eyes kept moving to the figure next to him, disgust evident on his face. Gabriel stood next to the Space Wolf, his expression unreadable due to the morbid skull mask he wore over his face. Out of all of them gathered here he seemed the most serene though he radiated tension. The other two men were officers from the Imperial Guard regiments, the Sitnaas Titans and Legion Imperator, their uniforms were clean and unblemished by the scars of battle.

"Gentlemen," Sylinn began, "I have asked our good General to summon you here to discuss possible plans to take the city. Our resources have declined considerably in the past few hours and we cannot have another disaster. Kasgul, activate the holo map if you please." The Lord General snapped to attention at the mention of his name, flipping a nearby switch. The room was suddenly bathed in a green hue, a large map floating in the center. Four sections were highlighted in blue light. "The highlighted areas are where the Imperial push failed gentlemen as you can plainly decipher. These areas are now overrun by the enemy, the streets, the buildings, even the sewers. Subtlety is not an option for to defeat Chaos we must rip it out completely. We cannot afford one foe escape for then the cycle will only begin anew. We must strike these areas hard before they can regroup for a renewed assault on our camps. The governmental district is in the very heart of the city making it a prime target. If we can take the governmental district as a base we would have easy access to any part of the city so that we can launch kill teams with relative ease. We will take back the abandoned strong points, leapfrogging to the next when the first is secure and so on. In this way we can ensure the men's relative safety and the cleansing of most enemy forces. Our mission isn't to destroy the Chaos threat for our resources are painfully limited, our goal is to set the field for others to do it for us. All efforts must be made to reach the district, all other agendas are secondary. We have a low amount of men and morale is declining at an increasing rate, the jubilation of our prevous victory forgotten only to be replaced by the dread of death but," he said glancing at the two Astartes, "I put my faith in the Space Marines to show the men how Imperials fight." The Space Wolf strode forward.

"My men will go where the fighting is fiercest, the late and lamented Commander Hido would have wished it such." Sylinn glanced at Gabriel, wondering how he would react, but the Dark Angel seemed as if he had not heard the Space Wolf. His monotonous voice broke the silence that followed the Space Wolf's pledge.

"I will divide my men up into teams to support all areas of the Imperial attack. We will ensure the Emperor's justice is realized." The Space Wolf looked as if he was about to protest but thought otherwise. The officer of the Sitnaas Titans stepped forward and pledged his men to attack the east while the officer of the Legion Imperator pledged his men to the west. That left the north and south open.

"My men will be in the remaining sector, whichever the Space Wolves haven't already claimed for themselves," Sylinn stated. No one spoke. "If no one has anything to say than I have to say this meeting is over. We must mobilize now."


End file.
